This isn't the first rodeo for the matriarch, however. Krauter has watched this car streak down the hill for the past seven years.

"It's been in every race since the squirrel box races started," the Brevard resident said, adding that the car has won many trophies.

The car was built by her husband, Mike, for their daughter, Jessie. Jessie Krauter drove it for the first five years, and now Jessie's nieces and nephews have taken the wheel. Jessie drives the black White Lightning Squirrel car in the races nowadays.

The red, white and blue Freedom Flyer cruised to victory in three different heats Saturday, reaching a top speed of 29 mph.

Traveling that steep hill, while fun, also brings up other emotions, 9-year-old Nadia Revis said.

"It's scary," she said. "You're scared you're going to run into the other person."

That did happen once on Saturday. The Dugan's Pub car had to withdraw because of a bent axle after tapping another car. No one was injured in the accident.

Long before the homemade cars began racing down the hill, the massive crowds browsed through vendors' booths that lined the streets. Some played on the theme of the festival.

There were socks with squirrels on them, white squirrels in cages, white squirrel stuffed animals and even squirrel bobblehead dolls.

There was live music, food, a car show, balloon animals and face painting.

<p>BREVARD -- Kitty Krauter stood at the bottom of Main Street and watched her grandchildren speed down the hill during the Squirrel Box Derby races on Saturday afternoon. </p><p>Three of them – Rion Williams, Aidan Revis and Nadia Revis -- drove the family's Freedom Flyer to victory lane at the 10th Annual White Squirrel Festival. </p><p>This isn't the first rodeo for the matriarch, however. Krauter has watched this car streak down the hill for the past seven years.</p><p>"It's been in every race since the squirrel box races started," the Brevard resident said, adding that the car has won many trophies.</p><p>The car was built by her husband, Mike, for their daughter, Jessie. Jessie Krauter drove it for the first five years, and now Jessie's nieces and nephews have taken the wheel. Jessie drives the black White Lightning Squirrel car in the races nowadays.</p><p>The red, white and blue Freedom Flyer cruised to victory in three different heats Saturday, reaching a top speed of 29 mph. </p><p>Traveling that steep hill, while fun, also brings up other emotions, 9-year-old Nadia Revis said. </p><p>"It's scary," she said. "You're scared you're going to run into the other person."</p><p>That did happen once on Saturday. The Dugan's Pub car had to withdraw because of a bent axle after tapping another car. No one was injured in the accident.</p><p>Long before the homemade cars began racing down the hill, the massive crowds browsed through vendors' booths that lined the streets. Some played on the theme of the festival. </p><p>There were socks with squirrels on them, white squirrels in cages, white squirrel stuffed animals and even squirrel bobblehead dolls.</p><p>There was live music, food, a car show, balloon animals and face painting.</p><p>"It's just fun," Brevard resident Benny Upton said. "There's lots of stuff to do." </p><p>Upton has been to all of the squirrel festivals. On Saturday, Upton, his son, Grant, and wife, Terri, were waiting at the top of the hill at Main and Broad streets for the soap box races to begin. </p><p>The race isn't Grant Upton's favorite part of the festival yet, his dad said. </p><p>The 5-year-old was focused on "hot dogs, lemonade and the bouncy houses."</p><p>Benny Upton, however, sees a little car construction in his future.</p><p>"He's already talking about building one," Upton said of his son. </p><p>Reach Millwood at 828-694-7881 or at joey.millwood@blueridgenow.com.</p>